North Korea Allegedly Releases Footage of its Latest Successful Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile
North Korea has reportedly released a footage of its latest submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test, which took place days before the country conducted a fourth nuclear weapon test on Jan. 6, a U.S. expert confirmed on Tuesday.
Contrary to allegations, the ballistic missile was not launched from submarine.
The footage of the submarine test aired on the North Korean State television. Unlike previous SLBM tests in May and November, the December test was not announced immediately after it was conducted.
Reports show that the December test was successful, but South Korea later alleged that the video of the launch had been manipulated, The Korea Herald asserted.
"While parts of the video footage of the launch are believed to have been faked, examining the initial stages of this launch, along with satellite imagery of the submarine and support vessels in port two days later, suggests that this test was probably conducted from a submerged barge rather than an actual submarine," John Schilling, a rocket expert, said.
Schilling also said that South Korea acknowledges only three known SLBM tests, which have all been unsuccessful.
According to Yonhap News, the tests indicate that the North has not yet mastered SLBM capabilities.
On the other hand, an official from the government alleged that the latest footage indicates that the ejection technology might have improved compared to the last tests. According to an analysis by California-based James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), there are two instances in the footage where flames can be observed to have engulfed the missile and tiny parts of its body separated.
"The missile ejected, began to light, but then failed catastrophically," said Melissa Hanham, CNS senior research associate. Hanham also alleged that North Korea edited the video to cover the fact that the missile launch failed.
Reuters reported that it still remains unclear if North Korea has really developed any nuclear device that can be mounted on a missile. Meanwhile, under United Nations resolutions, North Korea is banned from furthering any ballistic missile activity.
